 | |
| Author | Susan J. Palmer |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Publication date | October 21, 2011 |
| Pages | 251 |
| ISBN | 978-0-19-973521-1 |
| OCLC | 695683654 |
| 200.944'09049 | |
| LC Class | BP604.2.F8P35 2011 |
The New Heretics of France: Minority Religions, la République, and the Government-Sponsored "War on Sects" is a book by Susan J. Palmer. It was published in 2011 by Oxford University Press. Palmer is a sociologist of religion who has authored several other books on new religious movements (NRMs), and is a professor in religious studies. The book focuses on what Palmer calls the "French sect wars" – the anti-cult efforts of the French government and anti-cult groups – placing it into historical context and analyzing it along with the French conception of secularism, laïcité.
The book is split into three sections, with the first discussing the development of the anti-cult movement in France and its roots in the French Revolution. The second profiles six case study NRMs and their involvement in the "sect wars": Aumism, the Church of Scientology, the Raëlian movement, Tabitha's Place, Horus, and Néo-Phare. The third section contains Palmer's conclusions on French secularism, the anti-cult movement in France, and what drives it. The book received largely positive reviews, with most reviewers praising the observations, thesis, and case studies of the individual groups, as well as the coverage of a hard to research topic. Some aspects of the historical context given received a more mixed reception, with some commentators criticizing its accuracy and lack of precision. Some reviewers noted or criticized the writing as overly opinionated.